‘Tis the Season: Voting and Elections!

‘Tis the season! Halloween is just around the corner, Thanksgiving is on the horizon, and Christmas is less than three months away. But there’s another important date on the calendar: Election Day! With the primaries less than a month away, now is a great time to review your responsibilities around voting, election-related leave, and political discussions in the workplace.

First, let’s talk politics at work.

Political campaign ads seem to be everywhere—it’s like a house of mirrors, with another ad around every corner! With politics top of mind, employers should be prepared to navigate political conversations in the workplace. We recommend balancing encouragement of employees’ civic participation with clear, consistently applied expectations for political pins, signs, campaign speech, and distribution of political literature, while respecting employees’ rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).

For guidance, see the MRA Resource Guide: Discussing Politics at Work.

Next, let’s talk voting and election responsibilities.

States in the Midwest, with the exception of Indiana, have laws addressing time off for voting and/or serving at polling sites. Indiana is an exception, so it’s important to understand the requirements in each state where your employees work.

Now is a good time to review your applicable leave policies and communicate expectations to employees before Election Day. Remember, requirements for time off, pay, and other election-related responsibilities vary by state.

For details, see the MRA Resource Guide: Time Off for Voting and Election Responsibilities.